


Hello, Theo

by JunieBug



Series: Spring Marathon Ficlets [7]
Category: How to Get Away with Murder
Genre: F/M, Other, Parent-Child Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-25
Updated: 2016-03-25
Packaged: 2018-05-28 22:28:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,032
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6348169
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JunieBug/pseuds/JunieBug
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Laurel and motherhood were never supposed to fit together but then he came along and changed it all.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Hello, Theo

**Author's Note:**

> This is part of the Hello universe but can be read on it's own.

Laurel’s never been afraid of anything before in her life. She prides herself in that. Maybe it’s because of her family- fear was not a vocabulary word that the Castillo’s used. 

But when the little baby in her uterus started to move around she felt every fear creep up into every part of her body. 

She held her hand over the spot, it was just a little flutter, barely even there but it still sent a chill up her spine. 

Laurel was scared of motherhood.

She took about five at-home pregnancy tests and yelled at poor Frank to take her to the hospital to make sure, to make damn sure that this was really happening. That she was actually pregnant, that it was even possible and not just some dream. 

And when it wasn’t, the fear was planted, only a little bud at first.

But then there was a flutter and the growth of her belly. And Frank excitedly buying all these baby things, the crib, a highchair, a swing, and everything under the sun (and Babies R Us). 

And then there was Violet, sweet and just as excited. Ready for her baby brother or sister. 

Her friends were also on board. Michaela went to one of her mommy classes with her. Connor and Oliver texted her about random baby tips that they were learning with their little one. Wes and Asher called her once about how they had read one baby book.

Bonnie stopped by the house once a week- mainly for work but also to ask how she was doing.

Even Annalise was in on it, sending toys to the house and already signed up for babysitting the kids. 

Everyone seemed to be ready for this baby except for her. 

She did everything she could to prepare. Every baby book known to man was in the house, read by her and some by Frank. She ate what she needed to eat and avoided those she couldn’t, took her vitamins, did some light exercise. 

Laurel even eased up on work, letting Michaela inform her on how the firm was going while she did desk work. 

But none of it mattered when Theodore Franklin Castillo Delfino was born. 

8:42 pm.

4 lbs. 7 oz. 

A month and a half too early. 

Her water broke early due to cervical weakness. All technical things that didn’t matter once she saw Theo for the first time. 

He was so small, so fragile; not ready for the cold, harsh world yet. 

It scared her to death. Frank had to reassure her that it wasn’t her fault. That Theo was okay and that she did everything right. 

Laurel couldn’t help but feel like it was her fault, like her son was barely in the world and she was already a terrible mother. 

And even after they took him home, she still felt everything nagging at her. All her fears and all her worries taking over her.

“You can pick him up, y’know. You won’t break him.” 

She’s standing over his crib, just watching Theo sleep. Frank walks over to her, wrapping his arms around her shoulders and squeezing. 

Laurel can’t remember the last time she’s even held him, too scared to pick him up and drop him or something. Just the other day, she tripped with Theo in her arms when Violet ran past her. She had yelled at Violet which made the both of them cry. 

“I know…”

Just like clockwork, Theo wakes up, yawning at first but then crying out. Laurel subconsciously backs away from the crib and looks to Frank. He doesn’t hesitate to pick up his son and rocks him back and forth. 

“Wanna hold him?” 

She holds up her hands and tries to play it off. “No, father-son bonding is good.” But Frank doesn’t buy it, scrunching up his face. 

“Lau, what’s wrong? Are you okay? Jesus, it’s not pos-”

“I don’t have postpartum Frank,” She hesitates, her mind going a mile a minute because what if she did have postpartum? No. It was just the fear.

“Then what’s wrong?” Frank moves closer to her, every feature on his face etched with worry and it breaks her.

“I’m scared, I’m so scared Frank. He’s so small and I don’t know anything about being a mom and you’re the expert here.” She spills it all out for him, laying out everything she’s been struggling with. 

Her inexperience, her inability to protect him, the fear of failing as a mother looming over her like a giant black cloud. 

Frank’s face softens. “You do know how to be a mom. You do an amazing job with Violet, you pretty much run laps around all those other PTA moms.” 

She scoffs but he doesn’t look like he’s joking. “Sit down, c’mon.” He motions towards the rocking chair. 

Reluctantly she sits down. Frank’s leaning forward then, placing Theo in her arms. Laurel’s ready to object, scared she’ll wake him back up again, but he settles into her chest. He fits right into her and it melts her heart. 

This is her son. 

“Nothing to be afraid of. Just sit here with him, get to know each other. He already loves you, you can’t do anything wrong.” Frank’s voice is as soft as a whisper. 

Laurel’s eyes well up, realization hits her.

Every fear and every struggle and every worry just melt away with him in her arms. She was looking for validation or for a confirmation that she could do this and it only took Frank’s words, soft and like a poem, to help her. 

Because she knows that they’ll make mistakes, that she’ll mess up with Violet and Theo, but at least she wasn’t doing it alone. 

Frank leaves the room and she turns her attention back to the sleeping baby. She takes a deep breath in and kisses his forehead. Theo slowly wakes back up, opening one eye and then the other, slowly coming to. 

His baby blue eyes curious and searching her face and then he smiles, big and toothless. Laurel smoothes her finger over his soft little cheek and smiles back, “Hello there little guy.” She whispers. 

Yeah, she can do this.


End file.
